Friday, October 28, 2005

Have you been following the intelligent design vs evolution battle? Does it scare you to death how anyone can actually support the notion of teaching ID? As a mother of two kids in school it scares me to death lemme tell ya and I am glad I don't live in PA right now. Check this small summary of the cross-examination of Behe by Eric Rothschild, the lawyer opposing the school board in the Pennsylvania case.

Q: Please describe the mechanism that intelligent design proposes for how complex biological structures arose.A: Well, the word "mechanism" can be used in many ways. … When I was referring to intelligent design, I meant that we can perceive that in the process by which a complex biological structure arose, we can infer that intelligence was involved. …Q: What is the mechanism that intelligent design proposes?A: And I wonder, could—am I permitted to know what I replied to your question the first time?Q: I don't think I got a reply, so I'm asking you. You've made this claim here (reading): "Intelligent design theory focuses exclusively on the proposed mechanism of how complex biological structures arose." And I want to know, what is the mechanism that intelligent design proposes for how complex biological structures arose?A: Again, it does not propose a mechanism in the sense of a step-by-step description of how those structures arose. But it can infer that in the mechanism, in the process by which these structures arose, an intelligent cause was involved.

The interrogation goes on like this for pages and pages.

Isn't it achingly familiar to this Monty Python sketch?:

Q. You say you have a new theory about the brontosaurus.A. Can I just say here, Chris, for one moment, that I have a new theory about the brontosaurus.Q. Exactly. Well, what is it? …A: Oh, what is my theory?Q: Yes.A: Oh, what is my theory, that it is. Well, Chris, you may well ask me what is my theory.Q: I am asking.A: Good for you. My word, yes. Well, Chris, what is it that it is—this theory of mine. Well, this is what it is—my theory that I have, that is to say, which is mine, is mine.Q: Yes, I know it's yours. What is it?A: Where? Oh, what is my theory? This is it. My theory that belongs to me is as follows. This is how it goes. The next thing I'm going to say is my theory. Ready?Q: Yes.A: … This theory goes as follows and begins now. All brontosauruses are thin at one end; much, much thicker in the middle; and then thin again at the far end.

Let's remember that there are years of "evidence" backing up the theory of evolution whereas the only thing backing up ID is faith. "We believe it to be so therefore it is" with no tangible evidence offered supporting ID.